The starting lineup for the 'Hong Myung-bo team' in the final match of the World Cup qualifying round has been revealed.
The South Korean national football team, led by head coach Hong Myung-bo, will face Kuwait in the 10th match of Group B in the third round of the Asian qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Oct. 10 at 8 p.m. at the Seoul World Cup Stadium in Seongsan-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul.
Already, Korea secured an early qualification for the World Cup finals with a 2-0 victory over Iraq away on the 6th, thanks to consecutive goals from Kim Jin-kyu and Oh Hyeon-kyu, confirming its position in the top two of the group with 5 wins and 4 draws (19 points). This match is expected to be a festive occasion for the team, who has confirmed their place in the finals, to share their joy with home fans.
Even though they have already succeeded in qualifying for the World Cup, a victory is still needed since it is a home game. The national team announced the starting lineup ahead of kickoff.
Korea will line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation. Oh Hyeon-kyu will be at the forefront as the leading striker, while Bae Jun-ho, Lee Kang-in, and Jeon Jin-woo will be in the attacking midfield. Won Du-jae and Hwang In-beom will fill the midfield, and Seol Yeong-woo, Kim Joo-sung, Lee Han-beom, and Lee Tae-seok will form the back four. Lee Chang-geun will guard the goal.
On the bench are captain Son Heung-min, along with Kim Dong-hyun, Jo Hyun-taek, Park Jin-seop, Park Seung-wook, Lee Jae-sung, Hwang Hee-chan, Kim Jin-kyu, Choi Jun, Yang Hyeon-jun, Kwon Kyung-won, and Jo Hyun-woo.
Head coach Hong Myung-bo has stated that he will test some newcomers in this match, focusing on checking the team’s new faces and boosting the atmosphere rather than on the match itself.
Meanwhile, for this match, a card section in the stands will be displayed once again, following its first appearance in March. This card section will take place on the first floor of the cheering section, known as the 'Red Zone.' The Red Devils prepared a card section with the phrase "WE Korea," signifying the achievement of 11 consecutive World Cup qualifications by the great South Korean national football team. It also conveys the meaning of a significant accomplishment achieved together by both the players and fans.
After the match, the national team players will re-enter the field to share their feelings about qualifying for the World Cup with the fans and to interact with them while walking around the stadium.
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